Murs the merrier for Olly

David Dunn

THERE’S a certain irony about the video for pop chap Olly Murs’ new single.

Busy, the appropriately-titled fourth track from his self-titled debut album, features footage of a lonely lad at home with a home-made girlfriend.

Nothing could be further from the truth for the X Factor finalist turned chart conquerer who has been screamed at the past couple of weeks on his first UK headline tour.

That said... “I’m still single and doing my own thing. I haven’t got much time to have a girlfriend at the moment. There is too much going on in my life,” he says ahead of reaching Sheffield City Hall on Wednesday.

“It’s great to get out there, see the fans and perform. It’s a brilliant time. Yeah, there’s loads of pressure; I want to put a good show on for the fans.”

Certainly the amiable singer has won plenty over with his charm, if not his music, and he made his mark on the Red Nose Desert Trek in Kenya for Comic Relief earlier this year alongside a bunch of celebrities, flying out the day after the Brit Awards in which he was nominated for his hit Please Don’t Let Me Go.

Where some might have flinched at having to adapt to the spotlight so swiftly, Olly’s easy-going nature has made him a natural.

“No-one can train you for it. You just have to get on and try to deal with it yourself. Some people struggle; I think I’ve adapted really well and it would be wrong if I said I didn’t enjoy it. I like the fact people enjoy what I do and like my music.

“It does sometimes get a little monotonous if you are eating dinner in a restaurant and someone wants an autograph or a picture. That’s sometimes a bit difficult. You just want to have that time on your own but you accept that is the way it is now and you just have to get on with it.

“It’s just part and parcel of being in the limelight and being a pop star. Some people will recognise you and you’ve got to adapt to your new life really.”

While he has the fame thing sussed, Essex boy Olly still seems to be coming to terms with where his dream has taken him thus far – from pub singer to hot ticket.

“When you release an album you are never too sure how many you are going to sell or what people think.

“To get a tour which is selling out, I’m pretty amazed with that really. It’s not something I ever expected.

“That was probably what shocked me most. I really didn’t expect the tour, to be perfectly honest.”

Even with female screams ringing in his ears, however, Olly still aspires to his former life as a semi-pro footballer.

“I have no regrets. Football is something that I love and, don’t get me wrong, if ever there had been a chance of being a professional player I probably would have taken that over anything. I’m a massive football fan. It didn’t work out in football but I’ve managed to carve a career in music, so I’m really happy.

“I just wanted to better my life and singing was something I loved doing. You don’t know until you do it whether it is something you really want to do for the rest of your life. You always dream about wanting to do this or that but sometimes it isn’t what it’s all cracked up to be.

“To be honest, singing is everything I wanted it to be and more. I’ve always been someone who has wanted to be the centre of attention in everything I’ve done and becoming a pop star is possibly the biggest way to be the centre of attention. I enjoy what I do. I have a great career and that’s all thanks to everybody who voted for me on the X Factor.”

And now it seems the metaphorical ball is in Olly’s court to reach even greater heights.

“I’ve achieved some great things but there is so much more I want to do. I don’t think you can rest on your laurels. I want to keep striving and get better and bigger.

“You’ve got to give yourself a little bit of credit and say ‘credit where credit is due’. I’ve done pretty well but I want to keep doing it better. Fingers crossed.”